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Parameter Estimation vs. Hypothesis Testing

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2022

M. I. Charles E. Woodson
M. I. Charles E. Woodson*
Affiliation:
University of California, Berkeley
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Extract

Professor Meehl [2] has pointed out a very significant problem in the methodology of psychological research, indicating that statistical tests of psychological hypotheses against a null hypothesis are loaded in favor of eventual success at rejecting the null hypothesis. In my opinion this is not, however, a contrast between physics and psychology, but rather between the method of parameter estimation and that of the null hypothesis in the tradition of Fisher. A physicist could use the null hypothesis method as well as the psychologist. The fact that he doesn't is probably related to the more advanced state of his measurement techniques and theoretical constructs.

Type
Discussion
Information
Philosophy of Science , Volume 36 , Issue 2 , June 1969 , pp. 203 - 204
Copyright
Copyright © 1969 by The Philosophy of Science Association

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References

[1] Hays, W. L., Statistics for psychologists, Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, New York, 1963.Google Scholar
[2] Meehl, P. E., “Theory-testing in psychology and physics: a methodological paradox,” Philosophy of Science, vol. 34, 1967, p. 103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar